Absolute Fondness: Loving You Is My Occupation

"Since you have refused anesthesia, it will be very painful," warned the doctor through his mask as he looked down at Julie Lin.

Lying on the cold operating table, Julie Lin put her legs on the stirrups and raised her hand to touch her belly. "It doesn't matter if it will be painful for me. I want to know whether the baby in my belly will feel the pain."

Seeing the expression on Julie Lin's face, the doctor couldn't help but shake his head. "Do you regret it now? Why didn't you protect yourself at that time? Men can do whatever they want because they don't have to suffer the consequences. But as a woman, don't you know better? Now that you're pregnant, you want an abortion. It is harmful to your health."

Julie Lin wanted to say that she was not a promiscuous woman and that the child belonged to her legitimate husband. But she held her tongue and smiled bitterly. What was the point of giving explanations now? Since that fateful night, three months ago, her so-called husband, James Leng, hadn't shown his face to Julie Lin. He didn't even answer her calls.

James Leng must have regretted having sex with her again after getting drunk that night.

When the doctor looked at Julie Lin, he felt that she wanted to say something but stopped. He asked impassively, "What's the matter?"

Julie Lin covered her belly. Before the operation, she had felt a sharp pain in her belly, as if her baby was struggling to survive.

She took a deep breath to calm down and looked up at the doctor. "Where is my phone? Can I just see it once again?"

She wanted to give herself and her baby one last chance.

"You are already on the operating table. What else do you want to do now?" asked the doctor impatiently.

Julie Lin tried to sit up and implored the doctor in a soft voice, "Please?"

The doctor let out an exasperated breath and turned to the nurse. "Bring her phone."

Julie Lin immediately dialed James Leng's number. It just kept ringing for a long time. When she was about to give up hope, the call suddenly connected.

"What's wrong with you now?" asked James Leng callously.

Julie Lin explained hurriedly, "After that night, I..."

Before she could finish her sentence, James Leng interrupted, "Don't tell me that you're pregnant! Julie, you are a scheming woman! The first time you slept with me, you leaked it to the media and caused a big scandal. So I was forced to marry you. The second time you slept with me, you got pregnant? What a coincidence! Even if you are carrying my child, I won't accept it. I won't allow a conniving woman like you to give birth to my child. You should be content with the fact that you've become Mrs. Leng. You shouldn't... "

Julie squeezed her eyes shut and hung up the phone. She had expected this response from him, but she also wanted to fight for her child. Smiling wryly, she touched her belly again.

This baby was as unlucky as her. Even before it came into this world, the baby was going to be hated by its biological father. Why should she give birth to this baby and give it the same wretched future as hers? It was already unfortunate that the child was in her womb, if it was born without the love and acceptance of its father, it would have a horrible fate.

Julie's phone was ringing incessantly. It was James Leng. She could imagine how angry he must be after she hung up while he was still talking. Nobody dared to hang up on the great James Leng!

However, Julie was not affected by him anymore. She turned off her phone and lay back on the operating table. "You can begin," she told the doctor stiffly.

She knew the procedure would be very painful without anesthesia. But Julie believed that since she was going to kill her child, she should bear the pain! This was a punishment she had chosen to give herself!

After the procedure, Julie walked out of the operating room, grimacing in pain. Her face had deathly pallor and her body was trembling slightly.

The doctor reminded her in a low voice, "You'd better not walk around in this condition. Go to the ward next door and get some rest."

Shaking her head, Julie continued walking slowly. She didn't want to stay in the place where her child had died for even one more minute.

A stab of pain washed over her as she grieved for the baby that had been in her belly for the last three months. However, Julie knew that this was the best option for her child. It was better for her baby to not experience this dreadful world.

She leaned against the wall outside the operating room and smiled glumly. Taking a bracing breath, Julie gritted her teeth and trudged out of the hospital.

When she went outside, the sight before her, stopped her in her tracks.

A tall and slender man, wearing a black windbreaker, was standing there. He was very handsome. His eyebrows were thick and his eyes were sharp. His thin lips were angrily pursed.

He stood out among the crowd. His aloof and arrogant attitude made him very attractive. Although people did not dare to look directly at him since he seemed to be in a bad mood, they couldn't resist sneaking a glance at him.

When Julie saw him, a frown creased her brows.

Why had he come to the hospital?

James Leng marched towards Julie and roared, "How dare you hang up on me?"

Lowering her head, Julie looked at her flat belly and sneered, "So what? Anyway, I'm curious. How did you know I'm here?"

Julie had always been an obedient wife to him. Even three months ago, when she was forced to have sex with him, she didn't protest. She merely bit her lip and endured it. Although the circumstances in which they got married were shameful, she still wanted to be a good wife and create a happy family.

Julie had endured the pain at that time because she thought that despite his cold-hearted behavior, James Leng was willing to be close to her and he was ready to treat her like his real wife. He had even called her name gently, "Julie."

But now, everything was destroyed. That night was just another mistake made by him under the influence of alcohol.

"I tracked you using the GPS on your phone. But how dare you talk to me like that?" To his surprise, Julie had snapped at him.

By now Julie's stomach was in excruciating pain. She was almost no longer able to stand, let alone respond to him.

Only then did he notice her ashen face. "What's wrong with you? Why are you in such a hospital?" he asked, as he read the name of the hospital.

James suddenly frowned and asked, "Are you really...?"

Julie bit her lip hard and nodded. "Yes, I'm pregnant," she announced, struggling to straighten up.

James's eyes were stony. After a long time, he said, "So when you called me just now..."

He stared hard at Julie and asked, "Did you really abort the baby when I said I didn't want it? You are such a heartless woman!"

"I don't want my child to grow up feeling unwanted by its own father! It would be the most terrible thing in the world for that child.

Besides, it's good for both of us, isn't it?" she asked mockingly, sadness filling her pale face.

Pursing his lips, James squinted at Julie. "Yes, you're right. It's good for both of us."

Julie laughed bitterly and all the strength drained out of her body. She collapsed on the ground.

When Julie woke up from her nightmare, she was back in the villa where she and James lived. She raised her hand and wiped the perspiration off her forehead. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to calm down.

The nightmare, which felt so real only moments ago, became blurry. She frowned, trying hard to recollect what it was about, but couldn't remember. However, she was sure of one thing: she never wanted to relive it.

Julie turned her head and looked out of the window. It was bright outside. She seemed to have slept through the whole night. It suddenly occurred to her that she met James before she passed out.

Would James be so nice as to bring her back to the villa? After all, he was the kind of person who would shamelessly abandon her even if she had fainted.

Julie felt a headache coming on and immediately raised her hand to massage her forehead. Three years ago, Julie had been in a car accident, which made her lose part of her memory. The headaches were also a result of the accident.

Julie couldn't help but think that if it hadn't been for the car accident, she might have been able to retain her mother's legacy and not depend on the Leng family for financial support.

When Julie tried to move her head, she felt a sharp pain, as if her head was going to explode. She desperately needed some painkillers. As soon as she walked into the dining room, she spotted James sitting there.

He pretended to not notice her and continued eating. Julie was stunned for a moment. She didn't expect James to be home.

After hesitating for a while, she asked softly, "You brought me back here yesterday, didn't you? Thank you for that."

"I just didn't want you to attract undue attention outside the hospital. The reporters would swoop in and make a circus out of it again," James said, raising his head. He shot a frosty glance at Julie. "You're very good at playing the victim and attracting reporters to gain sympathy, aren't you? Don't worry. I won't let you die a horrible death. It will disgrace the Leng family," he said brutally.

Julie bit her pale lip hard, leaving a red mark. Noticing Julie's action, James's eyes moved down to her collarbone. The bite mark that he had left three months ago was still faintly visible.

One could imagine how violent James was that night. Even if it was consensual sex, he had been so rough with her. It was no different than rape.

James avoided her gaze and lowered his voice. "There is porridge in the kitchen. Go and eat some. If you get too sick, it'll set off the gossip mill again."

Julie nodded sadly and replied, "Yes, I know."

She knew that James didn't care about her. He was only looking after her because his company was in the midst of expansion and merging with other large companies. He wanted to avoid any kind of negative publicity right now. So he was being extra cautious. Julie ambled over to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water. She swallowed the painkiller and then proceeded to serve herself some porridge. Standing behind Julie, James made a face when he saw her taking the medicine.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Their maid, Cherry Li, immediately went to open the door, and two women entered. One of them was a middle-aged woman with short hair and exquisite makeup. She looked furious. The other woman was in her early 20s and was wearing designer clothes. When she saw Julie, she smiled smugly.

The middle-aged woman was Julie's mother-in-law, Miranda Xu. The younger one was Julie's half-sister, Alice Lin.

When Alice Lin saw Julie, she immediately flew to her. "Sister!"

Julie looked away and didn't respond to her greeting. Alice Lin smoothed her hair and turned to James sweetly. "My brother-in-law, I haven't seen you for a long time. You..."

Before Alice Lin could finish her words, Miranda Xu stepped forward, intending to interrogate Julie. "Your sister told me that someone saw you at the hospital yesterday. Why were you there? You'd better tell me the truth, or I will make you suffer once I find it out."

Alice Lin smiled wickedly and instantly chimed in, "Sister, I inquired about it. You went there to get an abortion. What's wrong with you? Why did you do it?"

Ignoring Alice Lin's snide remarks, Julie turned to Miranda Xu and tried to clarify, "Mom, I..."

Julie was slapped on her face before she could finish speaking.

Miranda Xu slapped her hard and scowled at her. "Don't forget how you knelt in front of me and said that you would be the right fit for our family. You promised to fulfill all the duties of a daughter-in-law. That's why I consented to your marriage with James!"

Not wanting to waste an opportunity to embarrass her sister, Alice Lin swooped in with an ingratiating smile. "Auntie, it's time for you to teach my sister a lesson. How can the Leng family's daughter-in-law behave so callously? She had an abortion without even telling anybody that she was pregnant. Why would she do that unless the child was not James's? I think it's very possible. After all, James dislikes her. How could he sleep with my sister? I'm sure my sister couldn't bear the loneliness and went to find another man!"

Hearing this, Miranda glowered at Julie and barked, "Tell me! Did you have this baby with another man?"

Before Julie could answer, Miranda Xu, who was in no mood to listen, raised her hand to hit Julie once again.

Before Miranda could slap Julie a second time, she was stopped by James.

She looked at her son and scowled, "James, this woman..."

He interrupted her, "I asked Julie to get the abortion."

Miranda looked at him in disbelief. "What! But how could you? It's your own child!"

After a short pause, Miranda glared at Julie and asked coldly, "Is it really yours or did this woman have another man's child?"

Everyone in the Leng family knew that James hated Julie. Miranda was under the impression that James had been ignoring Julie all this time. Since Julie couldn't bear the loneliness, it would make sense that she committed adultery with another man.

Miranda's accusation was an insult to Julie's integrity but she had no dignity in the Leng family.

Thinking about this, Julie looked at James. Even if she said that the baby was his, would anyone believe her if he didn't come clean about it? No, they wouldn't. After all, he detested her.

How could James admit to his mother that he had sex with the woman he loathed?

Given the circumstances, it appeared that Julie was going to be defamed once more. Julie laughed at her plight.

Miranda spun around and demanded, "How dare you smile?"

"It's my baby." James said coldly, "Three months ago, I was drunk, so I and Julie..."

He trailed off, looking embarrassed. After composing himself, he continued in a low voice, "I did have sex with her. She has never slept with any other man. The child can only be mine."

Julie looked at James in surprise. She never expected him to bail her out of trouble with his mother.

Miranda was astonished too. After a long silence, she asked, "Are you still thinking about that woman?"

Everyone present knew who the woman in question was.

Bella Chu, James's first love. Although they had broken up, he couldn't forget her even after all this time. Julie found out about this only when she entered the Leng family. She had been dragged into a hotel room by a drunken James, because her eyes reminded him of Bella Chu. That was the only reason he had sex with her that night.

James nodded. "Yes, I still miss Bella," he admitted miserably.

Miranda was so angry that her face turned red. "Come upstairs with me. Let's talk," she said curtly.

Then she turned on her heel and marched upstairs. James glanced at Julie's swollen face. Frowning, he followed his mother without saying anything.

Looking at James's back, Julie was baffled. He had just confessed the truth to his mother, and saved her from embarrassment. It was very unlike him.

"You slept with James again? How did you trick him this time, Julie? Aren't you ashamed of yourself?" yelled Alice as soon as Miranda and James left.

Julie looked at her with contempt. "What does it have to do with you? You have learned how to seduce other people's husbands from your mother. But not all men have poor standards like our father to fall in love with a woman like you!" retorted Julie.

Alice roared, "You!"

Then, she snorted derisively. "Do you think I don't know how you got James to marry you? First, you had sex with him, and then you trapped him by gathering the reporters outside your door. James would have never married you if you hadn't played that dirty trick. He had no choice. And didn't you hear what James just said? He still thinks about Bella. Humph! You will go to any lengths for a little money."

Tilting her head, Alice asked with a snarky smile, "By the way, did that slap hurt just now? I didn't think you has such a low status in the Leng family that you could be slapped so casually. When James divorces you and marries me, I won't be treated so badly."

Julie raised her eyebrows and asked, "Do you want to know how that slap felt?"

Before Alice could respond, Julie raised her hand and slapped her hard.

Alice was dumbstruck. She covered her face with her hand and growled, "You bitch! How dare you hit me?"

Julie remarked coolly, "You wanted to know whether the slap hurt or not. Now you know.

And one more thing: don't think that I don't know what your plan is. If you ever speak ill of me behind my back in the future, I won't spare you. Don't call me sister from now on. You have your mother, and I have mine. We aren't related to each other. I hate your mother and father. They hurt my mother," Julie said scathingly.

Alice was enraged. She roared, "Julie! You think you are so great! Let me tell you, whether or not I was an illegitimate child, I am now my father's legitimate daughter, and I am also the only daughter of the Lin family!"

Alice raised her voice. "If it hadn't been for your useless mother, I would have been my father's legitimate daughter a long time ago. My name is so regal, while yours is so common! How can you compare yourself to me? My father told me that if it hadn't been for your mother's rich family, he would have never married her. He never loved your mother, and he doesn't like you, either. He feels irritated whenever he sees you and your mother..."

Before Alice could finish her tirade, Julie slapped her again.

"Don't insult my mother," she warned in a menacing tone.

A slack-jawed Alice stared at Julie with wide eyes. "How dare you hit me?" she howled.

Julie looked at Alice defiantly. "I told you that I wouldn't spare you if you said anything nasty about me or my mother. I think you still don't know how it feels to be slapped, so I just reminded you again."

Alice was terrified of Julie now. She covered her face and retreated a few steps. "Julie, you are such a phony. Miranda hit you just now, but you didn't dare to say anything to her. You can only act bold in front of me!"